Monday, April 9, 2018

Harold Schechter

Harold Schechter is an American true-crime writer who specializes in serial killers. Twice nominated for the Edgar Award, his nonfiction books include Fatal, Fiend, Bestial, Deviant, Deranged, Depraved, The Serial Killer Files, The Mad Sculptor, Man-Eater, and Killer Colt.

Schechter's new book is Hell's Princess: The Mystery of Belle Gunness, Butcher of Men.

Recently I asked the author about what he was reading. Schechter's reply:
I’m currently working on a book about fictional movies inspired by true crimes. Since many of those movies are adaptations of novels, I’m mostly reading those novels, as well as any non-fiction books dealing with the actual cases. For example, I recently finished an entry on Richard Brooks’ film version of Looking for Mr. Goodbar, which necessitated my (re)reading Judith Rossner’s 1975 bestseller along with Lacey Fosburgh’s Closing Time: The True Story of the “Goodbar” Murder. Before that, in preparation for writing about the movie version of BUtterfield 8, I read John O’Hara’s original novel and several books about the mysterious death of Starr Faithfull, who served as the model for BUtterfield’s doomed protagonist, Gloria Wandrous.
Visit Harold Schechter's website.

The Page 99 Test: Killer Colt.

The Page 99 Test: Hell's Princess.

My Book, The Movie: Hell's Princess.

--Marshal Zeringue